Metal wheel



M. LACHMAN.

METAL WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED NOV-17,19I9.

Patented Dec. 13, 1921;

WWZ/WMM UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAURICE LACHMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 BETHLEHEM STEEL COMPANY, OF BETHLEHEM; PENNSYLVANIA, A. CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

METAL WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

Application filed November 17, 1919. Serial No. 338,421.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAURICE LAOHMAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of- New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metal Wheels, of which the following is :a Specification.

My invention relates to the construction and method of manufacturing metal wheels having rim and spokes integral with one another.

The general object of the invention is to provide a wheel constructed from a section or length of flanged metal bar having flanges at both edges, the flanges being utilized as a continuous rim orpart of mm while the spokes consist of sub-divisions of the web or body of the bar.

In carrying out my invention I prefer to use a rolled metal shape which, from its cross-section, is known ordinarily as a channel bar, that is to say, a bar having a flange projectin in one direction only from t e general p ane of the bar although my invention might be carried out by using a bar having flanges projecting in opposite directions from each edge thereof and as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, thereby making the shape of bar which is known as an I bar.

Briefly stated in invention consists in constructing the w eel from a section or length of flanged bar in such manner that the flanges of both edges shall be embodied in a continuous rim while the spokes integrally connected with such continuous portions may consist of sub-divisions of the web or base made by dividing said base inwardl from points at or near the flanges of bot ed es toward the center.

further object of my inventlon is to so sub-divide the web or base as to afford a reinforcement for the hub structure at the hub ends of the spokes, said reinforcement being integral with the spokes.

When my invention is carried out with this rovisionthe intermediate part of the web between the spoke ends is left with lateral projections which are bent down 01; up or suitably folded to operate as a reinforcement and as will be more particularly hereinafter shown and described.

A further object of the invention is to produce a wheel of great strength and rigidity.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a cross-section of a channel bar adapted for carrying out my invention.

Fig. 2 shows the same as sub-divided in its web or body into spoke parts and reinforcements according to my mvention.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation and partial section of the completed wheel.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 44: Fig. 3, it bein understood that the wheel is rotated su ciently to cause the spokes proper to be seen in edge view.

Fig. 5 illustrates a similar section or portion of the wheel in which the rim is completed by a piece inserted between the edges of the bar.

1 indicates the flanges and 2 the web of the bar. From a line-within the flanges the web or body is sub-divided inwardly toward the center to produce two sets of spokes 3, 3'. At an intermediate line between the ends of the spokes each division may be left with lateral projections 4, as shown, although I do not limit myself to the use of such -projections and the divisions might extend across from a point at or near one flange to the other in divisions comprising spoke parts only. With the provision of the intermediate part 5 shown said part may constitute in effect a portion of the hub structure and compose, either alone or in conjunction with the parts 4:,- a reinforcement. As shown the sub-divisions start from points well within the flange, thus leaving a continuous reinforcement beneath the flange which will be of service .in strengthening the rim a ainst collapse under the load, the depth 0 said reinforcement 6 being anything desired consistentl with the general objects to be accomp ished by my invention.

The bar having been out as shown, is bent up to bring the two edges thereof into suitable roximity, the bending being on the dotted lines 7 when the divisions are of the particular-shape indicated at the center and the lateral projections 4 are also bent or folded up transversely to the plane of the web, thereby forming the rein orcements 4.- and practically serving to space the s oke elements apart at thelr inner ends w ere they are joined in the hub. This folding up or bending of the projections is facilitated by cuttin the blank along the lines 8, the bend at t e connection of the intermediate part 5 being along the line 9. As shown in Fig. 4, the bending up of the two sides of the bar to bring the flanges into proximity is such that the two sets of spokes provided diverge from the general plane of the wheel outwardly from the hub toward the rim, but obviously they might be brought into such proximity as to converge.

The bar having been bent on the line.7, the flanged edges are bent to'the circumference of the rim, thereby causing the inner ends of the spoke elements 3, 3 and the intermediate parts 5 from which they spring, to converge and take the proper position for the completed wheel. The construction thus produced may be combined with the usual hub construction, as indicated, the hub barrel being provided with the hub plate .10 on one end and the fastening plate 10' on the other between which the inner ends of the spokes are located and by which, through the use of suitable bolts, the parts are firmly locked together in a hub structure.

The continuous flanges 1 may be bridged by an outer rim 12 secured thereto to form the finished rim or an inverted circumferentially extending flange or channel bar 13 where the flanges depending between the outer ends of the spokes may be employed as indicated inFig. 5 and suitably secured in position bv welding it to the rib 6.

Other modifications in the assemblage and in the relation of the parts obviously may be adopted without departing from my broad invention.

I prefer to use a channel bar simply because in practice it is easier to be produced in the mill than an I bar or bar having a double flange at each edge.

What T claim as my invention is 1. A metal wheel formed of a section of flanged metal bar having flanges at both edges. both bent to the form of the rim, while the spokes in two sets consist of subdivided portions of the base integrally joined at the hub part of the wheel.

2. A metal wheel consisting of a channel bar the edges of which are both bentto'the circumference of the wheel while the spoke portion of the wheel consists of two sets of spokes formed of sub-divisions of the base of the channelbar integrally joined at the center portion of the base in the hub structure.

3r-A metal wheel consisting of a section of channel bar the web or base of which is sub-divided to form two sets of spokes extending respectively from opposite ends of 4:. A metal wheel having continuous rim and spokes integral therewith, said rim comprising both edges of a'flanged metal bar while the spokes consist of sub-divisions of the web or base sub-divided from both edges inwardly to form two sets of spokes.

5. A metal wheel consisting of a section of channel bar both edges. or flanges of which are embodied in the rim as a continuous part thereof while the web or base is subdivided to form two sets of-spokes integrally joined by portions of the base having lateral extensions bent up to form a reinforcement for the hub.

6. A metal wheel consisting of a section of channel bar, the web or base of which is -nal lines to bring the flanges into proximity and then bending said flanges to the circumference of the rim.

8. The method of constructing a metal Wheel from a section of channel bar, consisting in sub-dividing the web or the base of the bar to form spokes, bending up said bar to bring the edges of the channel into proximity and then bending said edges to the circumference of the wheel.

9. The method of constructing a metal wheel with spokes and rim integral from a flanged metal bar, consisting in dividing the web or base of the bar inwardly from points near the flanges toward the center into sections adapted to form spokes, bending the bar to bring the flanged edges into proximity, then'ben'ding- 'saidflanges to the circumference of the rim.

10. The method of constructing a wheel from a section of bar having flanges at both edges. consisting in dividing said bar in wardly from a point within the flanges into divisions adapted to form spokes, bending up the bar to bring the flanges into proximity and then bending said flanges into the circumference of the wheel, thereby bringing the said divisions at their-center into the relation required in the hub structure.

v 11. The method of constructing a metal wheel from a channel bar. consisting in subdividing the base into spokes integrally connected at the center and there provided with lateral projections adapted to form reinforcements of the hub, bending the sub-disub-divided to form spokes extending from visions of the web to bring the sub-divisions into spoke relation to the flanged edges, bending sald' flanged edges to the circumference of the rim and folding or bending the lateral extensions into the relation of reinforcements.

12. lhe method of constructing a metal wheel with rim continuous circumferentially and spokes integral with said rim from a channel bar, consisting in dividing the Web or base inwardly from the flanges toward the center, into sections adapted to form spokes, bending the bar on longitudinal lines to bring the edges or flanges into proximity and then bending said flanges to the circumference of the rim.

' 13. The method of constructing metal wheels from sections or lengths of roller bar provided with flanges at their opposite edges and utilizing said flanges as rim, consisting in sub-dividing the base or body of the bar between the flanged edges into two sets of spokes integrally connected in an intermediate portion of the base, bending up the divided portions forming the spokes so that they will extend transversely to the plane of the connecting portion, then bending the flanged edges into the circumference of the 25 rim.

Signed at New York, in New York and State of New day of November, A. D. 1919.

MAURICE LAOHMAN.

the county of York this 12th Witnesses:

F. B. TOWNSEND. IRENE Lnrkowrrz. 

